Classic Racer - November/December 2014 - Preview by Mortons Media Group Ltd

www.classicracer.com where legends live on...

November/December 2014

• CLASSICTT – A FORMULA FOR SUCCESS •

BMW’s FORGOTTEN TT WINS

DICK MANN – A LIVING LEGEND • WINGED WONDER – AEROFOILTZ750TESTED • CADWELL AT 80 • LUKE CHUTES HONDA –TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION • ALEX CRIVILLE COBASTESTED • AND ALLTHE REGULARS

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WHAT’S INSIDE

CCLASSIC LASSIC RACER RACER MACHINE MACHINE

BMW’S FORGOTTEN

CLASSIC RACER REGULARS _006

Archive Shot

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Paddock Gossip

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Readers Write

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No cigar for Harley

TTcorporateamnesi WINSa

Classic news

BMW returned to the Isle of ManTT this year, with rider Michael Dunlop sweeping all before him to take victory in the Superbike, Senior, and SuperstockTT. BMW hailed this as its firstTT victory for 75 years. However, that’s not strictly true, as Malc Wheeler reveals. Words: Malc Wheeler Photography: Neil Morris – Chrysalis Racing

Your turn to speak

eorg Meier won the 1939 SeniorTT on a BMW Kompressor, a fact the company was keen to stress before and after the 2014 races. But postTT the spin doctors only heralded four successes on Mona’s Isle, Michael Dunlop’s treble and Meier’s single victory. By contrast the TT history books speak of 30 TT wins for the German marque, 23 of which were on BMW sidecar machinery. That being the case, the last BMW TT victory, prior

Why wouldn’t you?

to this year, would be the 1976 Sidecar race won by Siegfried Schauzu and Wolfgang Kalauch. Perhaps the BMW spin doctors don’t recognise three wheelers and are only talking solo victories? But take 23 from 30 and you have seven, so there are still three BMWTT wins missing... well no there aren’t. BMW supported rider and tuner, David Morris, won threeTTs in succession on his Chrysalis BMW F650, beating the likes of Honda,Yamaha and MuZ in the process.

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Dick Mann Living legend

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BMW’s forgotten wins

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Criville Cobas

Dave Morris – BMW - Isle of ManTT 1999.

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seems to have forgotten Dave Morris’ TT wins. Malc Wheeler puts the _22 BMW record straight.

Corporate amnesia

CCLASSIC LASSIC RACER RACER PEOPLE PEOPLE

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Privateer champion

Steve Baker Yamaha Getting started

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Winged TZ750

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Luke Chutes Honda

Flying machine

ALEX CRIVILLE

“BUT IN DOING SO HE’S IRREDEEMABLY ANTAGONISED DERBI’S STAR RIDER BY FAILING TO OBSERVE TEAM ORDERS ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS.”

JJ Cobas TB5 125 - Privateers Rule Hollywood couldn’t have scripted it better, exactly 25 years ago, in 1989. Alan Cathcart tells the story of Alex Criville and his rise to fame and tests his championship winning JJ Cobas. Words: Alan Cathcart Photography: Emilio Jimenez

Technological treat

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Scottish Show

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Cadwell at 80

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Classic TT

First time hit

Mountain magic

CLASSIC RACER SPORT _068 _069 _080 _083 _084 _086 _088 _089

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Celebration success

Irish Classic Scene Aberdare Park CRMC Donington ICGP Donington IHRO Chimay CRMC Cadwell BHR Darley Moor IHRO Gedinne and Schleiz

Alan Cathcart shares the experience of testing Alex Criville’s championship _30 winning Cobas.

CCLASSIC LASSIC RACER RACER PEOPLE PEOPLE

D DICK I ‘‘BUGSY’ B M MANN SSiSixiixx ddecades a racer

Dick one of of few fe racers whose career in motorcycling spans Dick Mann Mann is is one almost era. Norm DeWitt tells his fascinating story. almost the the entire entire postwar post W ords: N Norm orm DeWitt DeWitt P Photography: hoto Norm DeWitt and Mortons Archive Words:

ON THE COVER The TT victories that BMW forgot.

ick two-time Grand National AMA ick is is a two-time Champion (1963 1971) in the days Champion (1963, title iincluded when that flat track,TT, n when that title shortt track, nd rroad and short track, a racing. att trials, enduro, racing. He He also also competed competed a the Daytona Da 200 back to motocross, motocross, and and won won the back back in in 1970-71. 1970-71. how it all started: “To do Dick Dick Mann Mann explains explains how aper route, rou I owned a paper an an early early morning morning p and then graduated to a Cushman Cushman motor motor scooter scooter and n1 949. T area where I lived 125cc 1949.The 125cc BSA BSA Bantam Bantam iin ff-roa off-road.The club I belonged was was very very active active with with o Ramblers, the clubhouse in Port to, to, the the Richmond Richmond Ramblers, in tthe he middle m Richmond of a bunch of Richmond was was right right in giant giant beautiful beautiful hills. hills. oo ne of the Ramblers, who one “From “From there there it it led led tto acer; I went w was to the races with was a budding budding pro pro rracer; ym o him My mother wouldn’t let me him to to help help him him out. out. M o I ccouldn’t o get my racing lie lie to to get get my my licence, licence, sso 18 in in 1 952 when I graduated licence 1952 licence until until I was was 18 pu ntil tthen I was sort of a pit Up until from from high high school. school. U nicknam ‘Bugs, or ‘Bugsy’ man. man.” Where Where did did the the nickname most of of my m life, since the originate? originate? “I “I had had it it most ffourth ourtth grade. rother w a called ‘Bugs’, so I brother was grade. My My b By then, the I had graduated to became became ‘Little ‘Little Bugs’. Bugs’. By Naturally it wasn’t big enough, a 350 350 BSA BSA single. single. Naturally

but that was all I had. So I did my novice year of racing flat track as a novice on the cast iron B31. About all they had other than flat track were enduros, hill climbs, and field meets, which were very competitive.There were all sorts of fun things like you’d run down and pick up an egg and get back on your bike, start it and ride back. “In 1949, the Richmond Ramblers put on one of the first trials I’d ever heard of in Northern California.The British bikes weren’t quite so bad; it basically involved the bike you rode back and forth to work as bikes weren’t very specialised. “In those days your pro racing started out as a novice. If you gained enough points you would race amateur, although it wasn’t amateur as it paid prize money. I only did a half of a year in 1952 and never quite made enough points as I was still riding a 350cc motorcycle (in a 500 class). “I increased the capacity of my 350 to 500 with a different head and barrel, and later in the year I got sponsorship for Bay Meadows, which was the big National in the Bay area, from Ang Rossi the BSA dealer in Santa Rosa. He supplied me with a customer’s bike that he had hopped up to ride on the street.

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DeWitt chats to stateside hero Dick Mann and tells the story _46 ofNorm a living legend.

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CCLASSIC LASSIC RACER RACER PEOPLE PEOPLE

The WINGED WONDER

Rodger Freeth’s aerofoil TZ750A In 1977 Rodger Freeth took the revolutionary step of designing and fitting aerofoils to an agingYamahaTZ750A to gain a cornering advantage, but within three meetings the wings were banned. Terry Stevenson tells the story. Words: Terry Stevenson Photography: Marshall Stevenson &Terry Stevenson collection

“IN TYPICAL FREETH FASHION, HE APPLIED A DIFFERENT WAY OF THINKING TO MAKE HIS YAMAHA MORE COMPETITIVE.”

November/December 2014 Issue 170 EDITOR

Malc Wheeler mwheeler@mortons.co.uk Dan Savage dsavage@mortons.co.uk

PUBLISHER

CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE Clive Challinor, Barry Clay, Hamish Cooper, Norm DeWitt, Joe Dick, Pete Faragher, Len Hartley, Graham Lawlor, Russ Lee, Leanne Mandall, Mark McCloskey, Rob Savage, Terry Stevenson, Alan Turner, John Watterson, Julie Wheeler and MikeYiend DESIGNER REPROGRAPHICS

Holly Munro Simon Duncan

GROUP PRODUCTION EDITOR 54 ClassicRacer 54 ClassicRacer

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doesn’t do the Freeth TZ justice. Terry Stevenson gets to ride the _54 Radical winged wonder.

CCLASSIC LASSIC RACER RACER M MACHINES ACHINES

LUKE CHUTES HONDA

“WHEN THE EASY ROUTE WOULD HAVE BEEN TO BUILD A TWO-STROKE, RICHARD CHOSE THE HONDA 400/4.”

EDITORIAL ADDRESS Mortons Media Group, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR UK WEBSITE www.classicracer.com

SUBSCRIPTION Full subscription rates (but see page 18 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £25.80. Export rates are also available – see page 18 for more details. UK subscriptions are zero-rated for the purposes of Value AddedTax.

That headline was the advertising slogan for Luke Chutes’ transformation of the humble Honda CB400F into a race winner. Arch enthusiast John Chapman tracked down an original and reunited it with rider, Phil Odlin. Malc Wheeler tells the story. Words: Malc Wheeler Photography: Joe Dick John Chapman with just part of his treasure trove of motorcycles.

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When two-strokes dominated Luke Chutes swam against the tide. _62 Malc Wheeler explains.

CLASSIC RACER EVENT

AFormulaForSuccess

David England DIVISIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER dengland@mortons.co.uk 01507 529438 Lee Buxton ADVERTISING lbuxton@mortons.co.uk 01507 529453 Paul Deacon SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER CIRCULATION MANAGER Steven O’Hara MARKETING MANAGER Charlotte Park PRODUCTION MANAGER Craig Lamb PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Dan Savage COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Nigel Hole ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Malc Wheeler

GENERAL QUERIES AND BACK ISSUES 01507 529529 24hr answerphone Email: help@classicmagazines.co.uk Web: www.classicmagazines.co.uk ARCHIVE ENQUIRIES Jane Skayman, 01507 529423 jskayman@mortons.co.uk

Build yourself a winner

Classic TT

Tim Hartley thartley@mortons.co.uk

ne of the bright new stars of the TT, Lee Johnston grabbed the lead at the end of the opening lap and ultimately won by 45 seconds from the Honda K4 of Alan Oversby. Roy Richardson made it three very different machines on the podium with third place aboard Dick Linton’s Aermacchi. Delayed 24 hours and shortened to three laps, the 350cc class included a handful of 250s, but gone this year was a dedicated class for the quarter-litre machines (along with the Formula Classic for 750s) purely down to a lack of numbers in the inaugural retroTT. Oversby was a mere 0.009 of a second down on his Davies Motorsport Honda teammate William Dunlop at the first time check. Nine thousandths of a second after nine miles of public roads. Richardson was third at another 3.66s, with Ian Lougher fourth on Ian

Garbutt’s Ripley Land Honda. Johnston had started cautiously and was almost seven seconds off the pace in fifth. By Ballaugh, Oversby had edged into a 0.24s lead over Dunlop, with Richardson 7 .6s down. Johnston was up to fourth and by far the quickest on Sulby straight at 129.6mph – a full 8.5mph faster than the leading Honda. The Davies Motorsport pair were still almost identical on corrected time at Ramsey where Oversby’s lead was 0.084s, but Johnston was the big threat and was now third, albeit 10 seconds down. Early retirements included former Classic MGP winner Bruno Leroy, Steve Ferguson and new boy Connor Behan. Oversby was certainly quicker over the mountain, edging out the first discernible lead

of 2.7 seconds over William Dunlop on the climb.The latter man completed the opening lap at a new lap record speed of 103.045mph. But the record stood for little more than one minute before Oversby raised it by another 7.3 seconds to 103.624mph. Furthermore, Johnston – now within 2.4s of Dunlop – and Richardson had also gone inside the standard set by 2013 winner Chris Palmer. Michael Dunlop retired the Molnar Manx with a seized motor at the pits. His younger sibling had been demoted to third at Glen Helen on lap two and by the Bungalow Johnston had also edged past Oversby into a half-second lead. Other retirements included seasoned campaigners Bill Swallow and Allan Brew, together with Senior runner-up Dan Cooper who also suffered a seizure on the Molnar Manx. Andy Molnar feared his two machines had been running too weak.

Forty-two years on from MV’s last victory on the Mountain Course, young Ulsterman Lee Johnston took a modern-day replica of Ago’s factory triple to victory in the 350cc Classic TT. John Watterson reports on another successful Classic TT.

DISTRIBUTION COMAG,Tavistock Road,West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE Telephone 01895 433600 USA SUBSCRIPTIONS CLASSIC RACER (USPS:706-150) is published bi-monthly by Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK . USA subscriptions are $30 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. Periodical Postage is paid at Bancroft, WI and additional entries. Postmaster: Send address changes to CLASSIC RACER, c/o Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715-572-4595 chris@classicbikebooks.com Printed by William Gibbons & Sons,Wolverhampton ISSN No 1470-4463 © Mortons Motorcycle Media, a division of Mortons Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Words: John Watterson Photographs: Peter Faragher, Dave Kneen, Mike Wade and John Watterson

Having trouble finding a copy of this magazine? Why not Just Ask your local newsagent to reserve you a copy each month? Dan Cooper led the 500cc race with one lap to go, but both exhaust mounting rubbers sheared on the Molnar Manx Norton forcing him to hold the exhaust in place with his right leg. He salvaged second place.

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John Watterson brings us all the action from the successful _70 second Classic TT.

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ClassicRacer 71

Independent publisher since 1885

CLASSIC RACER ARCHIVE

No manufacturers’ title for Harley-Davidson

Walter Villa, Assen, June 26, 1976 Words: Malc Wheeler Photography: Mortons Archive www.mortonsarchive.com

n front of a packed house at Assen,Walter Villa rides to one of his seven victories during the season on his way to the 1976 250cc world title. From the first round, Le Mans in France,Villa made his intensions known, taking the chequered linen first, ahead of his Harley-Davidson team-mate Gianfranco Bonera.Villa continued where he left off when the Continental Circus moved on to Mugello for round two, with another win and fastest lap. It was from round three inYugoslavia, a non-finish for the Italian, that things got somewhat confusing for the fans. In their wisdom the sport’s governing body, the FIM, had devised a new points scoring system. From an 11 round championship only the rider’s best six scores counted, with the other five dropped. But that wasn’t all, only the best three scores from the first five rounds counted, then the best three from the remaining six. However,Walter Villa didn’t have any cause for concern. Despite giving round four, the Isle of ManTT, a miss he came back with a win at round five at Assen and the following weekend at Spa Francorchamps. Although Villa failed to finish round seven in Sweden, victories in Finland, Czechoslovakia and Germany wrapped up the rider title for him with one round remaining, but thanks to a discrepancy in HarleyDavidson’s paperwork the team failed to be awarded the constructors’ championship. For the 1977 season, the Isle of ManTT was dropped from the calendar, with the British Grand Prix moving to Silverstone, the FIM relented and all rounds scored.

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REGULAR PADDOCK GOSSIP

PaddockGossip >>The latest straight from the paddock >>

NEWS BRIEF

CLASSIC TT GROWTH

>>CELEBRATING MIKE THE BIKE

Westland Classic Bike Club is organising a charity fundraising evening – A Celebration of Mike the Bike – on Friday, November 14, presented by David Hailwood. The venue is The Manor Hotel,Yeovil BA20 1TG, with the doors opening at 8pm.Tickets are available from Malcolm on 07890 970643 or at malcandchris@gmail.com

>>GOLD CUP ON FILM

During the 64th running of the Steve Henshaw International Gold Cup, Peter Newman Media took the opportunity to film highlights of the Steve Henshaw Gold Cup Race, and interview John McGuinness, Clive Padgett, Lee Johnston, and Ivan Lintin. A film clip, which captures the atmosphere and excitement at the unique hillside circuit, can be seen onYouTube via the link: www.youtube.com/watch?v= 3ZClQuwfkII&feature=youtube Dates already confirmed by the Auto 66 Club, for 2015 at Scarborough are: The Spring Cup National Road Races – April 11-12. Barry Sheene Race & Rally Festival – June 20-21. Cock o’ the North Continental Road Races – July 18-19. Steve Henshaw International Gold Cup Road Races – September 12-13

>>MICK GRANT ON TOUR

Mick Grant’s 17 day road-tour – from January 17 to February 2, 2015 – of South Africa, which starts from Johannesburg and culminates at the first race-meeting of his classic bikeTT Reunion sunshine series, at Zwartkops, has proved popular. But there are still some places left. The tour costs approximately £2000 per person, including flights and accommodation.There are still places available in the container for race and road bikes; the cost for this is £750 to include all shipping, handling and documentation.There is also a limited option to rent bikes locally. For more information contact Peter Scatchard on 07775 631044 or email peter.scatchard@motorcyclewriter.co.uk

The Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling 2014 showed significant growth for the second consecutive year. The event now contributes more than £6 million to the local economy and £1 million in Exchequer benefit. Visitor numbers and revenue from sponsorship, event and grandstand ticket sales, corporate hospitality, trade sites and other commercial revenue generating activity have all shown significant year-on-year increases. David Cretney, Member of the House of Keys (MHK) political member, with responsibility for motorsport and tourism, said: “Commercial income and visitor numbers, with their contribution to the local economy, are the only way that we can justify investing public funds on an event. These encouraging figures are an effective benchmark of the success of the rebranded event and, combined with increased media interest, give us a platform to build on to secure the event’s long term future and deliver a tangible return on the investment.”

For the 2014 event, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company reported an 11% increase in motorcycles travelling; passenger numbers were also up by 1100 to 29,460 – the highest number for this fortnight in more than a decade. The Isle of Man Airport Authority has reported an increase of almost 12% in the number of inbound and outbound passengers through Ronaldsway Airport during the festival fortnight, following on from a similar increase of more than 11% last year. The TT Grandstand sold out on both Classic TT race days while the department’s hospitality programme, which also ran on both race days, entertaining more than 600 guests, generated additional income streams. The official event programme and retail trade site inventory posted record sales while special events including the Classic TT Party, Classic TT Legends Dinner in association with RST, the Classic Racer Magazine Lap of Honour and the MGP Reunion Lap all provided additional income.

YEAR OFF FOR THUNDERSPRINT Thundersprint organisers Frank and Carol Melling announced that this iconic event will not take place in 2015. Frank Melling said: “It’s well known that we have had two disastrously bad years with the weather in 2013 and 2014. The 55mm of rain we had over two days this year at Darley Moor hit spectator attendance very badly. In the simplest possible terms, we just cannot take a chance on a third year of hostile weather. “The problem we, and many other organisers, face, is that the cost of promoting a big, complex event like the Thundersprint rises every year. Circuit owners want their income guaranteeing regardless of ticket sales.

There is nothing wrong with this policy but it means that all the pressure is on the event organiser to cover costs and, hopefully, make a profit. “We have talked extensively to a number of venues but there are none available which make economic sense. In the final analysis, we are a two person business and we can’t continue to risk what we have built up over the last 17 years on the bet that we will have good weather in 2015. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank all competitors, traders and spectators for their fantastic support and we hope that everyone will continue to remain the good friends that they are now.”

GARDNER IN GRIMSBY Grand Prix legend Wayne Gardner, 1987 500cc World Champion is returning to Lincolnshire, where the Australian was based when he first came to the UK to race, for a chat show in Grimsby. The visit marks the 25th anniversary of the launch of his close friend Roger Marshall’s biography, which was the last time he was in the area.

The show takes place at Grimsby Central Hall, on Tuesday, November 25. Wayne will appear on stage alongside 12-time British champion Roger Marshall, seven-time Isle of Man TT winner Mick Grant, with the event hosted by two-time TT winner Steve Plater. The event has been organised by local racer Scott Smith. Tickets are available from Grimsby Central Hall on 01472 355025 and cost £15.

RALPH BRYANS

March 7, 1941 – August 6, 2014

Ralph Bryans was born in March 1941 and served his apprenticeship as a motorcycle mechanic for Chambers of Belfast, just round the corner at the time from where I served mine in Harry Ferguson’s. He attended the Belfast College of technology and was a very astute student. Ralph forged his mother’s signature on a medical certificate to obtain his race licence and at the age of 18 won the first race he entered, the Tandragee 200cc handicap riding a 197cc Ambassador. In 1960 and 61 he secured the Irish 200 and 350cc 25 mile championships on a 150cc Triumph Terrier and Jim Wilson’s 350cc Norton. In 1962 he rode Reg Dearden’s 500cc Norton and in 1963, 350 and 500cc Ryan Nortons winning the 500cc Irish championship. His first English short circuit race was at Mallory Park where he won first time out on a CR93. Bryans signed for Honda in 1964 primarily to contest the 50cc World Championship and in this year he did the 250/350cc double at the NW200 riding a 250cc CR72 in both classes giving Honda their first wins there. In a short career with Honda, from 1964 to 1967, he gave them the 50cc title in 1965 and raced 50cc twins 125cc four and five cylinder machines, 250cc fours and the glamour bikes of the 60s, the fabulous 250 and 297cc Honda sixes. He contested

60 GPs, had 10 wins, 15 seconds, 15 thirds, (40 podiums) 10 non-finishes, nine mechanical problems and one crash. He is one of only three riders to win a GP for Honda on the 250 six and one of only two riders to win on the 297cc six, the other being Hailwood. Ralph finished in the top three of various world championship titles five times and his 50cc lap record of 86.49mph on the RC116 twin to win the 1966 IoM TT was never bettered, so stands to this day. He won his last GP at the age of 26 on October 15, 1967 at Mount Fuji, Japan, riding his favourite racing motorcycle the RC166 250cc six. When Honda withdrew from GP competition in 1968 they gave Ralph a 125cc five cylinder and a 250cc six for personal use in non-championship events where he enjoyed much success. Finally, at the NW200 in 1970, on a borrowed eight-year-old RC163 Honda four, and starting from the back of the grid due to a holed piston in practice, he screamed round the scenic seaside circuit to one last, well deserved, win then surprisingly announced his retirement. Ralph was a true gentleman and always very obliging as we in the Northern Counties section of the VJMC have witnessed. He will be sadly missed. Ian Waddell

It seems slightly bizarre writing my edit for the November/December issue of Classic Racer when in the real world it’s still (just) September. But that’s the way publishing goes. To say this season has been busy would be a major understatement; it has been manic at times, but for all the right reasons. During the month of August team Wheeler spent a total of six whole days at home. A large part of that absence was caused by our visit to Mona’s Isle for the ClassicTT and Manx Grand Prix. It was always going to be interesting to see how the second running of the ClassicTT stood up against last year’s roaring success, with the prophets of doom shouting loud that it couldn’t. Well I can tell you it was just as good, in fact in some areas it was even better.The biggest improvement was with the organisation of the parades, thanks in no small part to Paul Phillips and his team taking charge. Instead of last year’s free-for-all at the start, they were ordered and had some meaning. The Joey Dunlop tribute was something special and quite emotional. RadioTT’sTim Glover did a great job of commentating on the start and the majority of the riders had gone to great lengths to play their part; the two most worthy of a mention being Michael Dunlop and Steve Plater. Michael rode the National Motorcycle Museum’s Rotary Norton, which his late father Robert raced and he even had some special Furygan Norton leathers made. And Steve, who represented Steve Hislop, was resplendent in a Hizzy Arai helmet and period Honda leathers. The ClassicTT also delivered some great racing (you can read John Watterson’s great report on page 70) with some amazing lap times and close racing. A couple of the highlights for me were delivered by Bruce Anstey.What he, Clive Padgett, and the team achieved with the 500 Grand PrixYamaha was amazing. And the smile on Ken McIntosh’s face when Bruce rode his Manx into the winner’s enclosure was worth the journey to the Island alone. Enjoy this packed issue. Malc

CLASSIC RACER MACHINE

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BMW’S FORGOTTEN

TTcorporateamnesi WINSa

Dave Morris – BMW - Isle of ManTT 1999.

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CLASSIC RACER EVENT

A DAY TO

REMEMBER

CadwellPark80thanniversary Not one person that attended Cadwell Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 80th anniversary celebrations will forget an emotional fun-filled day as the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best short circuit celebrated a big birthday. Malc Wheeler shares the great moments of the party in the park and looks back over eight decades of motorcycle sport. Words: Malc Wheeler Photography: Julie Wheeler, Rob Savage and Mortons Archive www.mortonsarchive.com

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the flag to Mansfield Wilkinson drops t Britain start the first road race in Grea War ld Wor after the Second

Riders leave the start in 1939.

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CLASSIC RACER PEOPLE

DICK ‘BUGSY’ MANN Six decades a racer

Dick Mann is one of few racers whose career in motorcycling spans almost the entire postwar era. Norm DeWitt tells his fascinating story. Words: Norm DeWitt Photography: Norm DeWitt and Mortons Archive

ick is a two-time Grand National AMA Champion (1963, 1971) in the days when that title included flat track,TT, short track, and road racing. He also competed at trials, enduro, motocross, and won the Daytona 200 back to back in 1970-71. Dick Mann explains how it all started: “To do an early-morning paper route, I owned a Cushman motor scooter and then graduated to a 125cc BSA Bantam in 1949.The area where I lived was very active with off-road.The club I belonged to, the Richmond Ramblers, had its clubhouse in Port Richmond and was right in the middle of a bunch of giant beautiful hills. “From there it led to one of the Ramblers, who was a budding pro racer; I went to the races with him to help him out. My mother wouldn’t let me lie to get my licence, so I couldn’t get my racing licence until I was 18 in 1952 when I graduated from high school. Up until then I was sort of a pit man.” Where did the nickname ‘Bugs’, or ‘Bugsy’ originate? “I had it most of my life, since the fourth grade. My brother was called ‘Bugs’, so I became ‘Little Bugs’. By then, I had graduated to a 350 BSA single. Naturally it wasn’t big enough,

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but that was all I had. So I did my novice year of racing flat track as a novice on the cast-iron B31. About all they had other than flat track were enduros, hill climbs, and field meets, which were very competitive.There were all sorts of fun things like you’d run down and pick up an egg and get back on your bike, start it and ride back. “In 1949, the Richmond Ramblers put on one of the first trials I’d ever heard of in Northern California.The British bikes weren’t quite so bad; it basically involved the bike you rode back and forth to work as bikes weren’t very specialised. “In those days your pro racing started out as a novice. If you gained enough points you would race amateur, although it wasn’t amateur as it paid prize money. I only did a half of a year in 1952 and never quite made enough points as I was still riding a 350cc motorcycle (in a 500 class). “I increased the capacity of my 350 to 500 with a different head and barrel, and later in the year I got sponsorship for Bay Meadows, which was the big National in the Bay area, from Ang Rossi the BSA dealer in Santa Rosa. He supplied me with a customer’s bike that he had hopped up to ride on the street.

Dick Mannâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s race winning Matchless G50.

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CLASSIC RACER MACHINES

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The WINGED WONDER

“IN TYPICAL FREETH FASHION, HE APPLIED A DIFFERENT WAY OF THINKING TO MAKE HIS YAMAHA MORE COMPETITIVE.”

ClassicRacer 55

CLASSIC RACER MACHINES

Luke chutes honda

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“When the easy route Would have been to build a tWo-stroke, richard chose the honda 400/4.”

Build yourself a winner That headline was the advertising slogan for Luke Chutes’ transformation of the humble Honda CB400F into a race winner. Arch enthusiast John Chapman tracked down an original and reunited it with rider, Phil Odlin. Malc Wheeler tells the story. Words: Malc Wheeler Photography: Joe Dick John Chapman with just part of his treasure trove of motorcycles.

ClassicRacer 63

CLASSIC RACER EVENT

Classic TT

Aformulaforsuccess

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ne of the bright new stars of the TT, Lee Johnston grabbed the lead at the end of the opening lap and ultimately won by 45 seconds from the Honda K4 of Alan Oversby. Roy Richardson made it three very different machines on the podium with third place onboard Dick Linton’s Aermacchi. Delayed 24 hours and shortened to three laps, the 350cc class included a handful of 250s, but gone this year was a dedicated class for the quarter-litre machines (along with the Formula Classic for 750s) purely down to a lack of numbers in the inaugural retroTT. Oversby was a mere 0.009 of a second down on his Davies Motorsport Honda teammate William Dunlop at the first time check. Nine thousandths of a second after nine miles of public roads. Richardson was third at another 3.66 sec, with Ian Lougher fourth on

Ian Garbutt’s Ripley Land Honda. Johnston had started cautiously and was almost seven seconds off the pace in fifth. By Ballaugh, Oversby had edged into a 0.24 second lead over Dunlop, with Richardson 7.6 seconds down. Johnston was up to fourth and by far the quickest on Sulby straight at 129.6mph – a full 8.5mph faster than the leading Honda. The Davies Motorsport pair were still almost identical on corrected time at Ramsey where Oversby’s lead was 0.084 seconds, but Johnston was the big threat and was now third, albeit 10 seconds down. Early retirements included former Classic MGP winner Bruno Leroy, Steve Ferguson and new boy Connor Behan.

Oversby was certainly quicker over the mountain, edging out the first discernible lead of 2.7 seconds over William Dunlop on the climb.The latter man completed the opening lap at a new lap record speed of 103.045mph. But the record stood for little more than one minute before Oversby raised it by another 7.3 seconds to 103.624mph. Furthermore, Johnston – now within 2.4 seconds of Dunlop – and Richardson had also gone inside the standard set by 2013 winner Chris Palmer. Michael Dunlop retired the Molnar Manx with a seized motor at the pits. His younger sibling had been demoted to third at Glen Helen on lap two and by the Bungalow Johnston had also edged past Oversby into a half-second lead. Other retirements included seasoned campaigners Bill Swallow and Allan Brew, together with Senior runner-up Dan Cooper who also suffered a seizure on the

Dan Cooper led the 500cc race with one lap to go, but both exhaust mounting rubbers sheared on the Molnar Manx Norton forcing him to hold the exhaust in place with his right leg. He salvaged second place.

ClassicRacer 71

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The TT Boycott The tr ue story

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